Sunday, May 18, 2014

The Worst Sinner!

Christ Jesus our Lord treated me with undeserved grace and has greatly blessed my life with faith and love just like his own.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This saying is true, and it can be trusted. I was the worst sinner of all! But since I was worse than anyone else, God had mercy on me and let me be an example of the endless patience of Christ Jesus. He did this so that others would put their faith in Christ and have eternal life. I pray that honor and glory will always be given to the only God, who lives forever and is the invisible and eternal King! Amen.

1 Timothy 1:14-17

The Apostle Paul confessed that he was the worst sinner of all! I have always quietly agreed with him when I read about his life before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was then called Saul and was actively trying to stamp out all the followers of Jesus. But, here is the hard part to understand. When Saul was killing Christians he thought he was doing the right thing. He did what he did because he desired to be faithful to the laws of God! And yet even in his sincerity he finally came to believe that he was the worst sinner of all.

Instead of judging the sins of Paul, I think I should look no farther than my own heart. Without Jesus Christ in my life, my own heart is wicked beyond remedy! It is capable of embracing every sin known to man without the Holy Spirit continually convicting and drawing me to Jesus. I believe every one of us could honestly say as Paul did that "I am the worst sinner of all."

What is your worst sin? You may think it is some destructive habit or pattern of thinking. I believe my worst sin is not being serious with Jesus about my relationship with Him. I so often think of myself as a man trying to keep the laws of God, occasionally crying out to Him when something big comes up in my life. I usually don't see a need for Jesus in most of my day, but do try to spend a few minutes or even an hour with Him to start the day. I guess it would be fair to say that Jesus is like my car insurance policy. I certainly am careful to keep it up to date, but hope that I will never have to depend on it.

The truth is that Paul was the worst sinner, but you and I are the worst sinners too! Without Jesus in my life, my sin separates me from God forever! That's what Paul's sin would have done for him if he had not met Jesus and that what my sin would have done for me without Christ in my life!

Here is a challenge. Spend a full sixty seconds thinking about Jesus! Then try to extend it to five minutes. Then try for fifteen and twenty. See if you can think about the Lord one full hour today. The goal of course is to expand your walk with Jesus into a 24/7 fellowship with Him.

"Lord Jesus, instead of hoping not to need You in my life, I want to be with You every minute of every day and to always need Your sweet love! Praise Your Holy Name. Amen"